1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns an apparatus for relocating the stocking toe part in the right position when it is put incorrectly on a setting frame of a finishing machine. More particularly, this invention concerns an apparatus for automatically relocating the stocking toe part in the right position when it is mis-placed on a setting frame of a finishing machine by causing a seam locator to find a seam on the stocking toe part and then causing a relocating means to bring the stocking toe part to the given right position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional automatic stocking-setting apparatuses, a variety of disclosures have already been published and some of them have actually been put into practice. Among them, there are an apparatus that enables workers to mount a number of stockings on a setting frame at one time and an apparatus that can automatically mount many pairs of stockings on a setting frame one after another.
Commonly those apparatuses have a holder to inflate stockings from the inside. Besides, they are designed in such a way that stockings can completely fit on a setting frame while the holder is being lowered from the top to the bottom of the setting frame. Nevertheless, because stockings do not fit on a setting frame very well, a device for pushing them down on the setting frame has also been developed.
Such being the case, according to those recent automatic stocking mounting apparatuses, workers only have to do is bring stockings to a holder with their opening widened; then, the rest of the work is all finished in an automatic manner. Thus, the working efficiency is improved very much with the result that the exhaustion of workers is considerably reduced, and this results in increasing the productivity of a finishing machine.
For all that such a series of automated processes have accomplished, the stocking toe part is not always fixed to a given part of a setting frame; on the contrary, it is much more frequently misplaced than placed in the right position.
As FIG. 5 shows, stockings H (especially, hosiery such as women's seamless stockings and pantyhose) already have a circular seam S at the toe part before undergoing steam-setting in a finishing machine; hence, the top of a setting frame F is shaped so as to fit to the circular seams. Therefore, when stockings H are put on the setting frame F, the circular seam S has to be put on its top T correctly. If the circular seam S is not on its top T in the right position as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the stocking toe part will be set in a twisted position in relation to its leg part L. Consequently, the merchandise value of those stockings H is greatly reduced; in addition, those who wear them may feel uneasy. From these points of view, such stockings H need re-setting. However resetting requires careful handwork. Thus, in conventional hosiery workshops, many workers entirely engaged in resetting are required. Accordingly, even if an automatic stocking mounting apparatus is introduced, the merit resulting therefrom is decreased by half, so that improvement in such labor-intensive work has long been awaited.